Idaho zoo asked to pay worker less than minimum wage, approved by GOPers

[Liberal_in_LA]

Yellowstone Bear World, located in Rexburg, says it can't stay afloat amid the economic downturn if it must pay its 35- to 40-member staff of mostly high school students the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour .

So the Idaho Falls Post Register reports it's asking lawmakers to allow it to cut its workers' minimum to $6.50 an hour.

Admission at Yellowstone Bear World is $16.95 for adult tickets — or $75 for a carload of up to seven visitors.

Over objections from Democrats, the Senate passed the bill in February .

But it's being modified in the House, after Department of Labor Director Roger Madsen raised concerns the first version could affect up to 20,000 workers.

___http://www.kboi2.com/news/89295272.html

[Morning Dew]

1. So, this is a private business?

From the faq:

Do you honor the National Parks Pass?

We are not affiliated with the national park service; therefore, National Parks Pass and Golden Age Passes are not valid at Yellowstone Bear World.

http://www.yellowstonebearworld.com/faq.php

[cynatnite]

2. Personally, I think this tourist trap should be shut down!

We lived in Rexburg and were there when it was built. The animals are in small fenced in areas. It's reminds me of those fenced in dog-walking type cages. All they are doing is getting people closer to the animals.

It's awful looking plus it's a gigantic ripoff.

You are much better off driving another few hours to Yellowstone itself. There is nothing better than seeing animals in their natural environment.

Not this caged up crap. It's fucking disgusting!

[Morning Dew]

3. Begging bears are back in Idaho -From the July 06, 1998 issue of High Country News

http://www.hcn.org/issues/134/4290

Critics note that Ferguson has ripped up about five acres of wetlands near the banks of the Snake River, only to be slapped with a "cease and desist" order from the Army Corps of Engineers. They also say he has imported more than a dozen black bears by working through a loophole in the state's no-bear-imports law that was left open for circuses and traveling animal shows.


Ferguson maintains he is playing by rules laid down by the federal Department of Agriculture. And he insists the bears will not escape. They are contained by two sets of electric fences as well as two 8-foot-high game fences.


The park's current bears are temporary tenants, he says, and he hopes to convince the state to change its laws later this summer so he can buy and keep a permanent collection of bears. The current troupe is owned by a Minnesota trainer who rents the animals out for commercials and movies.


As for the wetlands, Ferguson said he thought he had permission to build his 2.5 miles of roads, and he has applied for an after-the-fact permit. In any case, he says, those are just details. While he says he has plenty more work to do - including building a movie theater, petting zoo and visitor center - the main attraction is open for business.

Ferguson sounds like a sleaze ball.

[cynatnite]

4. We lived pretty close to that area...

you could see it from the highway when you drove by. I thought it looked horrible for the animals.

[Morning Dew]

5. it sounds horrible.

Here's an article on the wages that has a little more info:

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-legislative/14181542-1.html

[depakid]

6. The same Rexburg where kids sang on the bus about assassinating Obama

and the GOP gubernatorial candidate cracks jokes about Obama hunting season.

[cynatnite]

7. Rexburg is mostly extreme RW mormon types. n/t

[Better Today]

8. A state can write legislation to usurp the minimum wage law? How's that?